Method and apparatus for customizing goods

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes a base or first portion connectable with a cap or second portion through an article of clothing. The first portion includes an area for several styles of indicia, including raised gems or ornaments, an appliqué, or etchings into the second portion. The second portion is easily changeable with another second portion to better coordinate with the underlying article, or to portray a particular style or fashion statement. The second portion may include a recessed circular area for receiving the appliqué therein and to provide an alignment mechanism for properly positioning the appliqué.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/480,649, filed Apr. 29, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to decorating goods, and in particular to a decorative snap-on apparatus for various goods such as clothing and various accessories, and to the use of the decorative apparatus for customizing the goods to the whims of the user.

2. Background Information

Countless numbers of items, and in particular jewelry and decorative attachments have been used over the centuries for attaching to various goods, and in particular clothing or accessories such as handbags, shoes, etc. to provide a choice of fashion statements for the wearer or user. Most of these attachments are of a single type that once attached, either remain attached or are removably attached, and are provided with a particular design or decoration thereon. However, in today's fashion, especially in the younger adults, there is a desire to accessorize or decorate various articles of clothing and related accessories and to mix and match the decorations without requiring that the entire piece of jewelry or decorative device be replaced each time a different style of fashion is desired.

Snap fasteners have been used in the clothing industry for years in order to secure two pieces of fabric together with one half of the snap fastener being permanently fixed to one piece of the fabric with the other half of the snap fastener being fixed to the other piece of fabric, and whereupon the two half members are snap-fitted together to form a closure for the article of clothing. However, such snap-fasteners have never been used to assist in customizing various types of goods.

Thus, there is a desire in the fashion industry to provide an apparatus and method of using the apparatus for customizing goods, and in particular clothing enabling the user to match various occasions, moods or make a particular fashion statement without requiring an entire separate piece of jewelry for each desired fashion.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One feature of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, one part or member thereof which is permanently secured to an article of clothing or other types of goods, with another member being removably connected to the first member. This second member has a decorative facing and can be easily replaced to provide other decorative facings to provide a certain fashion statement or to coordinate one article of clothing such as the pants, to match the color of a second article of clothing, such as the shirt or blouse being worn by the wearer.

Another feature of the present invention is to enable the decorative member of the attachment apparatus to be easily removed from the permanently attached member of the apparatus and replaced with another member having a different decorative surface or appliqué applied thereto.

A further feature of the invention is to enable one member of the attachment apparatus to remain fixed to the article with a snap-fit post thereof being exposed providing a fashion feature to the clothing similar to the rivets used in various types of jeans or leather goods, yet when desired, will snap-fit receive thereon the second member of the decorative apparatus which has a decorative face thereon.

Still another feature of the present invention is to enable the device to be attached to various types of goods and articles such as pants, shirts, shoes, etc. in addition to backpacks and handbags presently being used by many school-age children and young adults, or attached to animal collars or countless numbers of other goods.

These features are achieved by the method of the present invention comprising the steps of: securing a first member on the goods by penetrating the goods with a post of the first member; removably attaching a second member on the post of the first member by a snap-fit connection; and providing an exposed surface on the second member displaying a decorative design.

These features are further obtained by the combination of an article having first and second surfaces and an apparatus secured to the article for customizing the article, wherein the apparatus has a first member with a base abutting the first surface of the article and an outwardly extending post penetrating the article, and a cap having a base abutting the second surface of the article and a socket for receiving the post therein to secure the first member on the article; a second member having a socket for receiving the cap and post of the first member therein in a removable snap-fit engagement wherein the second member is removably mounted on the first member; a button secured to the socket; and a decorative indicia on the button.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrated of the best mode in which Applicant contemplates applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing the apparatus of the present invention secured to a fabric sheet;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view similar to FIG. 1 with the first member of the attachment apparatus being secured to the fabric sheet and the second member removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing one design on the exposed surface of the second member of the attachment apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the second member shown in FIG. 3 with a removable decorative appliqué being partially applied thereto;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view showing another type of front decorative face consisting of a plurality of raised jeweled members secured to the front surface of the second member;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the second member shown in FIG. 5 with one of the jewels separated therefrom;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view showing another type of decorative front surface of the second member which has been etched with a laser or other type of printed indicia;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of FIG. 7 showing the etching of the front surface of the second member of the attachment apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of the first member of the attachment apparatus attached to a piece of fabric;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10, FIG. 9, with the second member of the apparatus being shown in dot dashed lines;

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 9 showing another type of the first member;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line 12-12, FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is another front elevational view similar to FIGS. 9 and 11 showing a further type of first attachment member;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken on line 14-14, FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing one manner in which a plurality of the attachment apparatus of the present invention are secured to a pair of pants;

FIG. 16 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing several different decorative attachment apparatus of the present invention secured to an animal collar;

FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing a plurality of the decorative attachment apparatus secured to the flap of a book backpack;

FIG. 18 is a perspective front view of another embodiment of the second member of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a perspective rear view of the second member shown in FIG. 18; and

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the second member of the present invention.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus of the present invention for carrying out the method of the invention is shown particularly in FIGS. 2-14 with the method of use being shown particularly in FIGS. 1, 15 and 16. The apparatus of the present invention is indicated generally at 1, and is shown in FIG. 1 secured to an article or one type of goods 3 with what the apparatus can be used, which for many applications will be a piece of fabric such as an article of clothing. Apparatus 1 includes first and second members 5 and 7, respectively, which are joined together by a releasable snap-fit connection as discussed below.

A first embodiment of the first member 5 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and includes a disc-shaped base 9 with a post 11 having a distal bulbous end 13. Base 9 and post 11 may be integrally formed as a single piece or formed as two separate pieces without affecting the concept of the invention. First member 5 further includes a socket 15 having a disc-shaped base 17 and a rivet-like protrusion 21 having a configuration generally complementary to and adapted to receive distal end 13 of post 11 therein. As shown in FIG. 10, first member 5 is secured to an article 3 by post 11 extending through a hole 21 formed in the article, afterwhich post 11 is received in socket 15 and permanently secured therein preferably by a crimping or staking procedure. This securely clamps base 9 against a first surface 23 of article 3 and base 17 of socket 15 against the opposed surface 25 of article 3. This connection preferably ensures that first member 5 remains permanently attached to article 3 but could be removed if desired by the user by force separation of the two components. It also provides the rivet-like protrusion or member 21 for snap-fit receiving the second member thereon as discussed below

A second embodiment of the first member which attaches to the goods is indicated generally at 26, and is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. In this embodiment base 27 is disc-shaped but has a considerably larger diameter than that of base 17 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 10, and is provided with a plurality of printed indicia 29 and decorative designs 30 thereon as shown in FIG. 11. This configuration enables the first member to be a decorative accessory on the goods even before the second member is removably attached thereto. For example, it can be used on a pair of jeans 31 as shown in FIG. 15, before the decorative second member 7 is secured thereto. It is common in various types of jeans that a metal rivet be exposed and the second embodiment of FIG. 12 will in and of itself provide a fashion statement for the wearer whether he/she wishes to even attach a decorative second member thereto. Also, the larger base 27 can have the appropriate trademark of the manufacturer of the goods to which it is applied. The remaining components of the second embodiment are similar to those as discussed above for the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10.

A third embodiment of the first member is indicated generally at 35 and is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Embodiment 35 is similar to the embodiments of FIGS. 9 and 11 and includes a base 37 which is a two-piece member having a large diameter shaped disc 39 and a smaller diameter disc 40. The two discs can be formed either as an integral one-piece member or a two-piece member as shown in FIG. 14. This provides for a further decorative-type surface when exposed as shown in FIG. 13, and also may be provided with printed indicia 29 and the decorative designs 30 thereon. Again this provides for an attractive fashion feature when exposed on the wearer's jeans or other goods even before subsequent attachments of the decorative second member thereon if desired by the wearer.

The second member 7 also may have various embodiments such as shown in FIG. 3-8. A first embodiment generally indicated at 41, is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. This embodiment includes a socket 43 which as shown in FIG. 10 includes an opening 45 which houses a pair of spring clips (not shown) which snap-fittedly receives the bulbous end 13 of post 11 and the rivet-like protrusion 21 of the outer portion of socket 15 therein to removably secure the first member 5 to second member 7 in a manner well known in the snap-fit art. Socket 43 is secured to a button 47 preferably in a permanent manner by a crimping or staking procedure. Button 47 has a front-face 49 which preferably has a disc-shaped configuration. The embodiment 41 has an appliqué 51 applied to front-face 49 by an adhesive 53 and preferably has a decorative FIG. 55 or any other type of indicia thereon to provide a desired fashion statement by the user thereof. It is readily understood that appliqué 51 could be easily removed from front-face 49 if desired by using a pressure-sensitive adhesive 53 and replaced with various other appliqués or decals having numerous types of decorative indicia 55 thereon. This provides the wearer with an easy manner of matching different parts of his/her outfit with different decals to provide for a different fashion statement. However, appliqué can be permanently attached to front face 49 by use of a different type of adhesive if desired.

A second embodiment of second member 7 is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and indicated generally at 57. Embodiment 57 is similar to embodiment 41 described above and includes socket 43 and button 47 but has a plurality of decorative jewel stones 59 instead of appliqué 51 applied and secured in a variety of arrangements to front-face 49 of button 47, such as by a pressure-sensitive adhesive 61. This enables the wearer to provide various arrangements of the jewel stones to form a decorative pattern on button 47 and can provide the stones in various colors, sizes, geometric shapes, etc. Again, it provides the user of apparatus 1 to be creative in his/her styling of clothes, backpacks or other type of goods. In the alternative, jeweled buttons can be provided by the manufacturer ready to be snap-fitted to a first member 5.

A third embodiment of the second member 7 is indicated generally at 65, and is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Embodiment 65 will have the front-face 49 of button 47 pre-engraved by a laser 67 with any type of design, emblem, geometric pattern, etc. desired. In embodiment 65 (FIG. 8) only a cross-hatch pattern is shown being engraved thereon. However, it is readily understood any type of design, picture, printed indicia, etc. desired by the manufacturer can be engraved, stamped or etched into front face 49 of button 47. Again, this is formed as an integral part of button front-face 49 which is attached to socket 43 ready for use by the purchaser and subsequent user thereof. It is readily understood that second member 7 and, in particular, button 47 thereof could have countless number of designs, printed indicia, appliqués, etc. applied to the front-face 49 thereof or formed as an integral part thereof as shown in FIG. 8 to provide a vast variety of color, styles, configurations for the ultimate purchaser and user in accordance with the invention.

Apparatus 1 is shown if FIG. 15 being applied to various locations of a pair of jeans 31. It may be desired that the particular color of the appliqué or front-face of button 47 be matched with the top part 69 of the wearer's outfit such as the blouse, sweater, etc. in making a desired fashion statement. Also, as shown if FIG. 15, the front-face of button 47 may have the same configuration or the various configurations as shown by the heart design 68 and the Y configuration 70, in addition to a colored or cross-patched configuration 71. Again, it provides the user with countless combinations of colors, designs, etc. for use on the wearer's jeans and matching or contrasting the shirt or upper part of the outfit being worn by the user. Also, second member 7 may be omitted and only the rivet arrangement of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 9-14 may be exposed as indicated at 75 in FIG. 15.

FIG. 16 shows still another method of using apparatus 1 in which various designs, configurations, printed indicia, etc. are on the front-faces 49 of buttons 47 and are applied to a dog collar 73. FIG. 17 shows a backpack 76 of the type carried by many teenagers and young adults having a number of apparatus 1 thereon which have similar and different combinations of printed indicia decorations etc. on the front-face button 47. The examples shown in FIGS. 15-17 are merely three of the countless number of uses for which apparatus 1 can be applied for carrying out the customizing method of the present invention. Second member 7 can be used with the front-face 49 thereof being provided with a variety of decorative indicia, designs, etc. or only the front portion of the first member 5 which is secured to the goods can be exposed providing a rivet-like configuration if desired by the wearer.

As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, another embodiment of the present invention is shown as apparatus 101. Apparatus 101 includes a second member 103 or cap having a front surface 105, a back surface 107, and a side surface 109 extending therebetween. Second member 103 includes alternating protrusions 111 and recesses 113 along the outer periphery of the body of second member 103. A connector plate 115 extends outwardly away from back surface 107 and includes a back surface 117 and a peripheral surface 119 extending from back surface 107. Connector plate 115 defines a threaded recess 121 sized to receive a matching threaded stud extending from a first member (not shown) or base in accordance with the previously described first members of the present invention. Connector plate 115, and in particular, peripheral surface 119 works to extend front surface 105 outwardly away from the first member such that second member 103 appears more three dimensional and more pronounced as a separate feature from the underlying clothing.

As shown in FIG. 20, another embodiment 201 of the present invention is shown having generally similar features to embodiment 101. However, embodiment 102 includes a recessed area 214 defined generally by a recess surface 216 and a side surface 218 extending outwardly therefrom. The general size and placement of recessed area 214 corresponds to an ornamental adhesively backed design such as the appliqué 51 shown in FIG. 3. As such, the size of appliqué 51 is received within recessed area 214 to present a generally smooth outer surface on second embodiment 201, as well as to portray a receiving area for receiving appliqué 51. As such, receiving area 214 provides the added benefit of facilitating an aesthetically pleasing alignment on the exterior or front surface 205 of second embodiment 201 such that a user can easily place appliqué 51 within the predefined space. All other features of embodiment 201 are generally consistent with embodiment 101, including a front surface 205, a side surface 209, and an alternating pattern of protrusions 211 and recesses 213. As shown in FIG. 20, second embodiment 201 includes eight protrusions 211 and corresponding eight recesses 213, to provide an aesthetically pleasing overall shape to second member 203.

In summary, the apparatus and method of the present invention enables a person to customize various goods including articles of clothing, accessories carried or worn by the user in which the front face of the button of the second member or the exposed face of the first member without the second member attached can be placed at various locations and have various designs to satisfy every fashion statement desired to be made by the wearer.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. 

1. A method for customizing goods comprising the steps of: securing a first member on the goods by penetrating the goods with a post of the first member; removably attaching a second member on the post of the first member by a snap-fit connection; and providing an exposed surface on the second member displaying a decorative design.
 2. The method defined in claim 1 including the step of matching the decorative design of the second member with an article of clothing.
 3. The method defined in claim 2 including the step of removably attaching the decorative design on the exposed surface of the second member.
 4. The method of claim 3, further including the step of disposing the decorative design in a circular recess defined by the exposed surface of the second member.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the decorative design is a circular appliqué having an indicia disposed thereon.
 6. The method of claim 5 including the step of selecting the goods from a group including jeans, bags and animal collars.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of disposing alternating projections and recesses around the periphery of the second member.
 8. A decorative assembly comprising: a base comprising: a backing portion; and a threaded stud extending from the backing portion; and a cap comprising: a first portion having a front surface, a back surface, and a peripheral surface extending therebetween; a second portion extending from the back surface; and a threaded recess defined by the second portion and sized to rotatably receive the threaded stud therein.
 9. The decorative assembly of claim 8, wherein the threaded stud is adapted to extend from an article of clothing to be received in the threaded recess.
 10. The decorative assembly of claim 9, further including a circular recess defined by the front surface and an appliqué for disposal therein.
 11. The decorative assembly of claim 10, wherein the appliqué includes a first surface having an adhesive disposed thereon and a second surface having an indicia disposed thereon.
 12. The decorative assembly of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the cap includes alternating projections and recesses around the periphery of the first portion.
 13. A method for customizing an article of goods comprising the steps of: extending a portion of a base from the article; selecting a cap from a plurality of caps, each cap having different indicia displayed thereon; and rotatably mating the selected cap with the portion of the base to removably secure the cap to the article.
 14. The method of claim 13, whereby the portion is a threaded stud.
 15. The method of claim 14, whereby the threaded stud is rotatably received in a threaded recess defined by the cap.
 16. The method of claim 15, whereby the threaded recess is defined by a connector plate extending outwardly away from a rear surface of the cap.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of adhering an appliqué in a recess defined by the cap.
 18. The method of claim 17, whereby the appliqué is generally circular in shape and the recess is generally circular in shape.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of forming a set of alternating projections and recesses around the periphery of the cap.
 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of color coordinating the indicia with the article. 